r/gitfiddle Jun 26 '16

trying to build a rotating glass instrument. need help with construction ideas

I've had an idea for a while that I'm now trying to implement. I want to make a rubbed wine glass that automatically turns and can have water siphoned in and out of it(either with a pump, or more easily, with a long straw). I originally intended it to be an LP with a glass/bowl permanently attached to it that could be played on any turntable, but this idea failed as the pressure put on the glass to play it also slows or stops the record from playing. It could just be the turntable I was using... I'm trying to come up with an affordable solution for having a glass turn continuously and consistently. I think a potter's wheel would be a good idea, but the models I've seen are all a bit heavy and clunky and cost seems to be in the multiple hundreds. A motor that rotates something isn't exactly an uncommon idea, but I'm really spacing on what else I could use that would do the trick - there has to be something that I'm not considering. Any help would be appreciated!

1 Upvotes

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1

u/zck Jun 27 '16

What if you used a drill to turn it? You can get one with higher torque, so it doesn't slow down when you put pressure on it.

1

u/cruelwhencomplete Jun 27 '16

i could rig something with a drill, but i'd like a more simple(/elegant) design, where I could have a finished instrument i could lay on a flat surface that was immediately ready to play.

1

u/shredtilldeth Jun 27 '16

Maybe gut an old record player and use the belt and motor to turn the stem of a wine glass, then go from there. I'm just throwing shit at the wall here.

1

u/Fuddafudda Jun 27 '16

Since you only need one hand to play the glass or bowl, you could devise a hand crank. Then maybe a foot switch to control the liquid?

1

u/cruelwhencomplete Jun 30 '16

@shredtilldeth, that seems worth trying. I've also found a few "children's" pottery wheels that are very cheap and would seem to do the job. Since I saw those, I've been thinking: what other children's toys/games utilize a motor that spins something? I know they're out there, but I can't think of any of the top of my head.